Strainer-stopper assembly

ABSTRACT

A strainer-stopper assembly for location within the usual cylindrical drainage well of a sink, garbage disposer or the like. The assembly includes a resilient annular strainer body adapted for close engagement with the wall of the drainage well. The inner wall of the strainer body is frusto-conical, and a stopper having a frusto-conical outer wall is complementally engaged upon the inner wall of the strainer body. Downward urging of the stopper radially outwardly expands the strainer body into tight, sealing engagement with the adjacent wall of the drainage well.

United States Patent 9 Arenskov STRAINER-STOPPER ASSEMBLY [22] Filed:Aug. 24, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 174,459

2,024,475 12/1935 Rossman 4/287 Primary ExaminerSamih N. ZahamaAssistant Examiner--T. A. Granger Attorney--Fulwider, Patton, Rieber,Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT A strainer-stopper assembly for location withinthe 52 11.8. C1 ..210/163, 4/287 51 Int. (:1. .1203: 1/00 usualcylindrical drainage l of a sink, g g [58] Field of Search ..4/287;disposer or the like- The ass m ly includes a resilient 2l0/163 165annular strainer body adapted for close engagement with the wall of thedrainage well. The inner wall of [56] References Cited the strainer bodyis frusto-conical, and a stopper having a frusto-conical outer wall iscomplementally en- UNITED STATES PATENTS gaged upon the inner wall ofthe strainer body. 93 330 9/1909 Downward urging of the stopper radiallyoutwardly 2,829,380 4/1958 expands the strainer body into tight, sealingengage- 1,203,530 10/ 1916 ment with the adjacent wall of the drainagewell. 2,166,273 7/1939 2,021,410 11/1935 1Claim,3DrawingFiguresSTRAINER-STOPPER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION generally made ofa resilient material or utilize a l resilient O-ring or the like whichtends to wear or abrade away an extended period of use. Once appreciablewear occurs the seal is lost.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, a strainerstopper assemblyis provided which includes a resilient annular strainer body adapted toclosely fit against the inner wall of the usual sink drainage well.

The inner wall of the strainer body is frusto-conical, and a stopperhaving a complemental frusto-conical outer wall is disposed against it.When the stopper is urged downwardly, the resilient strainer body isbiased outwardly into tight, sealing engagement with the sink drainagewell. The sloping or tapered frusto-conical surfaces enable the stopperto provide a satisfactory seal despite usual progressive wear of theengaged surfaces. In addition, most sink drainage wells arecharacterized by a conical or inwardly sloping transition conduitportion at the base of the cylindrical upper portion of the sinkdrainage well. The present strainer body is adapted to rest upon thisconical portion. Accordingly, when the strainer body is resilientlyurged downwardly by downward pressure upon the stopper, a seal occurs atthe bottom of the strainer body as well as at the sides.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromconsideration of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top plan view of aconventional double sink, the strainer body of the present inventionbeing illustrated in position in the sink drainage well on the left,both the strainer body and the stopper being illustrated in position inthe drainage well on the right;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken along the line 22 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings,there is illustrated a conventional double sink including a pair ofbasins having sink drainage wells I and 12, respectively. Identicalnumerals are used to designate identical components in the pair of wellsand 12.

Each sink drainage well includes a cylindrical inner wall 14 having aperipheral inner wall surface which terminates in a conical transitionwall 16 which slopes inwardly and downwardly to a drain pipe portion 18.

The strainer-stopper assembly of the present invention comprises,generally, a solid resilient annular or circular member or strainersleeve, cup, or body 20 having a cylindrical outer wall 22 characterizedby a vertically oriented outer peripheral wall surface made to closelyapproximate and conform to the size of the cylindrical drainage wall 14.The body 20 ispreferably molded of neoprene rubber and is typicallyapproximately 3% inches in diameter and We inches in depth.

The strainer body 20 is characterized by a frustoconical inner wall 24having an inner peripheral wall 0 surface which extends or is inclinedupwardly and downwardly from the bottom toward the top of the body 20 todefine a central drain opening 26 which diminishes in diameter in adownward direction, as will be apparent. The taper or slope of the innerwall 24 is typically 15 degrees from the vertical, with the upperportion of the wall 24 including a circumferential finger depression 28which facilitates placement and removal of the strainer body 20 relativeto the sink drainage well.

The bottom or lower portion of the inner wall 24 includes acircumferential groove 29 which receives a perforated circular strainermember or disk 30 constituting a strainer to keep foreign objects out ofthe sink drain. The disk 30 may be made of any suitable material,including copper screening or the like, but is preferably made of arigid molded plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, with theopenings or apertures being formed therein at the time of molding.

The diameter of the disk 30 is preferably made somewhat less than thediameter of the circumferential groove 29 to enable the strainer body 20to be resiliently compressed for closely fitting it within the sinkdrainage well. If desired, the disk 30 could be made an integral part ofthe body 20 by making it of molded rubber with suitable molded-inapertures or drain openings, in which case the apertured portion wouldbe collapsible to facilitate fitting the body 20 within the sinkdrainage well.

The lower portion of the body 20 which rests upon the transition wall 16of the sink drainage well is preferably rounded to more nearlyapproximate the rounded transition between the walls 14 and 16 andthereby provide a closer fit, as indicated at 31 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A relatively non-yieldable or stopper 32, which is preferably made of arigid material such as polyvinyl chloride plastic material, definesclosure means removably fitted within the drain opening 26 of thestrainer body 20. The stopper 32 is generally circular, and includes anupwardly projecting central portion 34 which is flat on top andcircumferentially undercut to define a circumferential flange 36. Theflange 36 serves as a handle to facilitate placement and removal of thestopper 32.

The stopper 32 includes a frusto-conical outer wall 38 having aperipheral edge surface inclined inwardly and downwardly forcomplemental engagement upon the frusto-conical inner wall 24 of thestrainer body 20, as best illustrated in FIG. 3.

When the stopper 32 is pressed downwardly by the user, or by thehydraulic head of water in the sink above it, the strainer body wall 22is biased or expanded outwardly to provide a good seal between thestopper 36 and strainer body 20 and also between the body 20 and thedrainage well inner wall 14. In addition, when the stopper 32 is presseddownwardly, the

lower portion of the body 20 presses against the transition wall 16 ofthe drainage well and also provides a seal at the bottom of the body 20.

The outward distention of the'body 20 against the well inner wall 14 bythe stopper 36 tends to prevent the body 20 from moving upwardly, whichpreserves the seal at the bottom of the strainer body 20.

The slope of the complemental surfaces or walls 38 and 24 of the stopperand strainer body, respectively, provides automatic compensation forabrading or wear of these surfaces and also of the strainer body outerwall 22. As wear occurs, the stopper 34 merely seats lower and lowerwithin the complemental strainer body 20 and maintains the desired sealover long periods of use.

Although the stopper outer wall 38 is shown smooth, it could be providedwith continuous circumferential serrations to help maintain it in seatedposition upon the strainer body 20.

Where the stopper and strainer body are used in connection with theusual garbage disposer, the strainer body is easily removed to place thegarbage or other material in the disposer well In addition, thereplacement of the strainer body enables the strainer body to serve as asplash guard when the disposer is in operation. Alternatively, thestrainer disk 30 could be removed altogether and the stopper used as thesplash guard whenever the disposer is in operation In that event, thestopper would be cocked slightly to allow water to pass to the disposer.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to theforegoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

' lclaim:

1. In combination with a cylindrical sink drainage well with an innerperipheral wall surface, astrainerstopper assembly for said sinkdrainage well, said assembly comprising:

a solid resilient circular member having a vertically oriented outerperipheral wall surface constructed and arranged for sealing engagementwith the inner peripheral wall surface of said sink drainage well, saidcircular member having an inner peripheral wall surface inclinedupwardly and outwardly from the bottom of said circular member towardthe top of said circular member;

a perforated circular strainer member supported by the inner peripheralwall surface portion of said circular member above the bottom surface ofsaid circular member and adjacent thereto; and

a circular stopper of relatively non-yieldable material constructed andarranged to define removable closure means for the opening defined bythe inner peripheral wall surface of said circular member, said stopperincluding a peripheral edge surface inclined inwardly and downwardly andconstructed and arranged to cooperate with the upwardly and outwardlyinclined inner peripheral wall surface of said circular member forsealing engagement therewith whereby upon engagement of said circularstopper with said circular member the outer peripheral wall surface ofsaid circular member is urged into tighter sealing engagement with theinner peripheral wall surface of said sink drainage well.

1. In combination with a cylindrical sink drainage well with an innerperipheral wall surface, a strainer-stopper assembly for said sinkdrainage well, said assembly comprising: a solid resilient circularmember having a vertically oriented outer peripheral wall surfaceconstructed and arranged for sealing engagement with the innerperipheral wall surface of said sink drainage well, said circular memberhaving an inner peripheral wall surface inclined upwardly and outwardlyfrom the bottom of said circular member toward the top of said circularmember; a perforated circular strainer member supported by the innerperipheral wall surface portion of said circular member above the bottomsurface of said circular member and adjacent thereto; and a circularstopper of relatively non-yieldable material constructed and arranged todefine removable closure means for the opening defined by the innerperipheral wall surface of said circular member, said stopper includinga peripheral edge surface inclined inwardly and downwardly andconstructed and arranged to cooperate with the upwardly and outwardlyinclined inner peripheral wall surface of said circular member forsealing engagement therewith whereby upon engagement of said circularstopper with said circular member the outer peripheral wall surface ofsaid circular member is urged into tighter sealing engagement with theinner peripheral wall surface of said sink drainage well.